Container for use in refrigerators



Patented May 2, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE HAROLD F. MACGRATH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO INLA ND MANUFACTUR- ING- COMPANY, OFJDAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CONTAINER FOR USE IN REFRIGERATOBS Application filed September 24, 1930. Serial No. 484,143.

This invention relates to mold trays or containers for use in connection with me-- chanical refrigerators or ice forming devices of any character, and in which mold ice cubes,

blocks or the like are formed, said invention pertaining more particularly to a tray or carrier for use in conjunction with a particular form of mold in which the ice cubes or blocks are frozen, the main object of the invention being to decrease the time required to freeze the ice blocks and to provide a supporting carrier for the flexible tray Or mold in which the blocks are formed. A further object is to provide such a carrier preferably formed of a conductive material adapted to rapidly transmit cold and which has suflicient strength and rigidity to carry the less rigid mold tray in which the ice blocks are frozen, said carrier and mold being so formed and inter-engaged as to promote the freezing operation and lend strength to the device as a whole, without materially decreasing its flexibility for the purpose of ejecting the frozen blocks.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tray or mold in which ice cubes or blocks are formed, and the walls between the block forming compartments of which mold, are made hollow;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carrier for said tray or mold provided with portions to project into the hollow walls of said mold and conduct cold to the mold walls;

Fig, 3 is a perspective view showing the mold tray in place upon the carrier,-with portions of the mold in section to disclose the co-operation of said carrier with said mold; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rear end. portion of the carrier and disclosing a slight 45 modification of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

The mold tray shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, is adapted to be placed in a mechanical refrigerator and filled with water 50 to form ice blocks or cubes in the several compartments into which the tray is divided by transverse walls 2 and one or more longitudinal walls 3, the side and end walls 1-1 being formed integral with these interior walls and with a bottom wall 5 forming the bottoms of the several compartments. This tray is preferably formed of a flexible inaterial, such as a rubber composition so that by bending the tray, the cubes will be loosened from the Walls and may be readily removed. Where the longitudinal wall 3 crosses the several walls 2, said walls are made integral, but between these crossing points and the outer Walls 1, each wall is formed with openings or slots 4 which open through the upper edges of the walls and also through the bottom wall '5, thus forming air flues in the several internal walls, which flues or openings are co-extensive in length with the adjacent sides of the chambers or molds in which the ice blocks are formed, said openings or flues 4 serving to conduct cold air up around each chamber in the freezing operation and to decrease the thickness of the walls to aid in the freezing-operation and to make these walls more flexible, all as set forth in a separate application for patent filed by me in the U, S. Patent Oflice.

The present invention relates -to a carrier shown in Figure 2 and the combination therewith of a mold tray similar to that shown in Figure 1, said carrier being formed, preferably, of a highly conductive metal composition, to conduct cold to the walls of the compartments of the. mold tray and aid in the freezing operation, said carrier also aiding in the handling of the mold tray so that the walls of said tray may be made correspondingly thinner and thus further increase the rapidity of the freezing operation. This carrier is also so constructed that it may be flexed for the purpose of flexing the mold tray when in place thereon and releasing the ice blocks.

As shown in Figure 2, the carrier comprises a flat bottom plate 6 of a length equal to the length of the mold tray which is placed thereon, and this bottom plate is formed with an end flange 7 to engage one end of the mold tray and at its opposite end with, an

opening 9 opposite the lower ends 0 the several openings 4 in the longitudinal wall 3, so that air may pass up freely through these openings in said wall or walls where the tray has more than one longitudinal wall. The bottom" plate 6 is also lightened by forming it with this slot 9 so that said plate may be readily bent transversely when the tray is in'place thereon to flex said tray and release the ice cubes from the tray.

To conduct cold up in "the several openings 4 into contact with the interior walls of the tray and thus further increase the rapidity of the freezing operation, and to firmly but detachably connect the carrier to the tray, the bottom plate 6' of the carrier is formed with a series of upstanding walls or projections 10 properly spaced to extend up within the several openings 4 in the several transverse walls 2 of the mold tray when said tray is in place upon the carrier, and by the conductivity of said walls 10, conduct the cold up into contact with the thin sides of the hollow walls 2. These walls or projections 10 are preferably formed by folding portions of the bottom wall upon themselves and at right angles to the wall 6, and if found desirable the inner corner portions adjacent the opening 9 and at the upper ends of said walls, may be cut away as at 11. Y i

As shown in Figure 4, these upstanding Walls on the bottom wall 6 of the carrier, may be formed by folding portions of the bottom wall, but spacing the portions" 12 forming said upstanding walls, a short distance apart.

. thus leaving a space between said portions12' to form a flue or passage for cold air therethrough, thus further increasing the cooling effect. 1

By providing a carrier for the mold tray, the walls of this tray may be made comparatively thin so that they will offer less resistance to the passage of cold, and by forming said carrier with the several upstanding walls 10 to engage within the hollow walls 2, the mold tray is strengthened and stiflened so that it ma be moved about, but at the same time, the orm of the carrier is such that it maybe readily flexed transversely in an up- .ward direction when it is desired to flex the mold and eject the ice cubes, and because of the engagement of the .flange 7 and handle 8 with the ends of the tray, said carrier plate will not readily flex downwardly when the mold tray is in place thereon, and a carrier will be provided which will serve to support the load of the filled tray in moving it about, as when placing it in or taking it from the refrigerator. p

The metal composition of the carrier is a much better conductor of cold than the rubber composition of the tray and therefore the time of freezing is lessened and a device as a whole, is provided having suflicient rigidity to permit its being moved about when the tray is full, and at the same time may be readily flexed to eject the formed ice cubes or blocks.

Obviously other changes may be made in the construction within the terms of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A carrier for mold trays for mechanical refrigerators, said trays being formed of a flexible non-metallic material with hollow dividing walls, said carrier comprising a flexible metal bottom plate formed with integral upstanding members to fit within said hollow walls and with end members to engage the opposite ends of said tray.

2. The combination with a mold tray for mechanical ice forming devices, said tray being formed of a flexible rubber composilion and divided into ice-block forming chambers by transverse and longitudinal walls having openings therein open through the upper edges of said walls and through the bottom of said tray; of a metal carric for said tray formed with a flexible bottom plate and upstanding end members to en gage the ends of said tray and transverse upstanding members intermediate its ends to fit within and project upwardly within said hollow walls.

3. The combination with a mold tray for mechanical refrigerators, said tray being formed of a flexible rubber composition and divided into ice-block forming chambers by transverse and longitudinal walls having openings therein open through the upper edges of said walls and through the bottom of said tray; of a metal carrier for said tray comprising a flexible bottom plate upon which said tray is adapted to rest, said plate being formed with a central longitudinal opening and intermediate its ends with upstanding portions extending transversely of said plate from said opening therein to the side edges thereof to fit within the openings in the walls of said tray and extend upwardly therein.

4. The combination with a mold tray for mechanical refrigerators, said tray being formed of a flexible rubber composition and divided into ice-block forming chambers by transverse and longitudinal walls having openings therein open through the upper edges of said walls and through the bottom of said tray; of a metal carrier for said tray comprising a flexible metal bottom plate upon which said tray is adapted to rest, said plate being formed with transverse upstanding members each formed by folding said plate to provide parallel spaced apart "walls extending upwardly at rlght angles to said plate to fit into and extend upwardly within said openings-in said walls of said tray and form 5 air spaces therein 5. A freezing tray comprising: a flexible non-metallic contalner having partitions therein, said partitions having elongated re' cesses therein open at the bottom edges there- 10 of, and a metal carrier for said flexible container, said carrier having open sides to permit its use with flexible containers of greater width than its own width, and having upstandin metal members intermediate its ends- 15 which t snugly within said elongated recesses; 4

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HAROLD F. MAQGRATH. 

